South Dakota State University recently selected Kansas City’s McCownGordon Construction to build its $36.5 million Raven Precision Agriculture Center laboratory project on the university campus in Brookings, South Dakota.
The selection followed on the heels of McCownGordon being selected to build the Northern State University Regional Sports Complex in Aberdeen, South Dakota, which includes brand-new football and softball stadiums. Along with its current work on the Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab at SDSU, the company now has more than $120 million in construction projects in South Dakota.
Precision Agriculture is not new to SDSU and is a foundational major that integrates plant science, agricultural engineering, computer programming and global positioning technologies. The program is one that leads the nation and seeks to educate engineers and plant scientists who will advance technology in the farming industry. The Precision Ag building will combine laboratories, classrooms and lecture halls designed to serve the distinct needs of students pursuing a degree in Precision Agriculture.
Ground work at the site will begin next year. The 129,000-square-foot facility will follow an ambitious plan set by the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and meet three critical objectives: create a new home for the Precision Agriculture Major; replace, modernize and expand the existing Agriculture Engineering facility; and expand and modernize critical research laboratory space for Plant Science.
Northern State University also recently chose McCownGordon Construction to build its Regional Sports Complex in Aberdeen, which will help the university’s sports programs continue to grow. The facility will include a new football and softball stadium along with fan experience club rooms and suites. McCownGordon continues to expand its presence in the state as the firm is also building a $50 million addition to the SDSU Animal Disease Research and Diagnostics Lab in Brookings.
